Portsmouth Naval Memorial

Standing on Southsea Common overlooking the promenade in Portsmouth, Hampshire, is the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. It commemorates nearly 10,000 naval personnel of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea.

More than 45,000 men and women lost their lives while serving with the Royal Navy during the First World War. After the Armistice, the naval authorities and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were determined to find an appropriate way to commemorate naval personnel who had no grave.

key features

Portsmouth Naval Memorial is one of three naval memorials in the UK. The others are at Plymouth and Chatham

All three memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer with sculpture by Henry Poole. Each design is the same with an obelisk of Portland stone surmounted by a copper sphere

The memorial commemorates nearly 10,000 sailors of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War

The Second World War extension was designed by Sir Edward Maufe with additional sculpture by Charles Wheeler, William McMillan and Esmond Burton

It was unveiled on 15 October 1924 by Prince Albert, the future King George VI. The extension was unveiled by the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 29 April 1953